When I stepped on the scale this week, my jaw dropped faster than clothing at a burlesque show.

Really? I lost 2.8 pounds drinking shots and eating waffles fries and peanut butter cups?  Well then, sign me up for all this deliciousness again!

Starting stats:
Weight: 247 lbs.
BMI: 36.5

Today’s stats:
Weight: 175.2 lbs.
BMI: 25.9

This put me past my -70 lbs. milestone, and I’m on my way to -75.

On Saturday I also ran another 5K race and came in at just over 31 minutes – and ran the whole way, thanks to Wendy and her friend Soozie running with me! Cindy and a few of my other sorority sisters also ran and did AMAZINGLY AWESOME.  I am so proud of Cindy and all my sisters!

Clipping on my iPod and getting ready to hit the trail!

I had a crazilicious weekend!  To start with: weigh-in.  Considering the junk I allowed myself to eat last week, I am happy to see that I maintained my weight – I didn’t lose,  but I didn’t gain, either.  Woohoo!

Starting stats:
Weight: 247 lbs.
BMI: 36.5

Today’s stats:
Weight: 178.0 lbs.
BMI: 26.3

On to my first ever 5K – it was amazing! I was so incredibly nervous beforehand.  I even had a nightmare the night before that the planners screwed up the race layout, and I subsequently got lost, yet they wouldn’t let me start over and Sleeping Lisa was very upset about that.  Lol. 

But, the Halloween Fearless 5K around Como Lake in St. Paul was just great.  It was a very relaxed atmosphere and the majority of people seemed to be there just for fun, which was fabulous.  My grandma, my mom, one of my sisters, my brother-in-law, his brother, and my 3 month-old niece all came to cheer me on (and snap pictures of me along the way, as seen below).

Halfway done! Trying to keep going and look decent in front of my fam.

They also brought me this great trophy, cleverly changed to read “Best Looking Runner.” 

Best Costume? Not anymore.

After a few treats and a quick nap, I donned my scandalous Wonder Woman costume for a night/early morning on the town with friends.  I don’t think I’ve worn something this short in public in a long, long time – but it got some very uh… positive… reactions and overall, it was a great night.  How great? I spent most of Sunday in bed recovering.

Save the world *and* party? Okay!

I just want to say a big thank you to everyone who encouraged me with running/Couch to 5K – especially Allison, my first C25K buddy; Cindycita, also my C25K buddy; Wendy, my running guru; and Connie, who bought me my first running socks and helped me purchase my first pair of running shoes.  Also, a special thank you to the wonderful Emjay who designed my t-shirt for my 5K.  Thank you all!

What’s up next? Another 5K, of course! I’m running the Turkey Trot 5K on the morning of Nov. 7, 2009.

I usually like to pick a topic, and center a blog post around that.  But today, I’m just going to write about how things are going in general.  I have a million topics that I want to write about in the future, and I’m excited to do so, but for now, here’s what’s up with Lisa Marie.

C25K: This is my main priority and challenge right now.  I’m one run away from “graduating” from the program, and 3 days away from my first 5K ever.  I’ll be running the Halloween Fearless 5K around Como Lake in St. Paul, Minn. on Saturday, and I’m so incredibly nervous!  I’m still not a particularly great runner, but I ran 2.5 miles in 31 minutes last night, and I’m very proud of that.  So my goal is just to finish on Saturday – I don’t care if I have to drag myself across the finish line.

WW: Weight Watchers is going well.  I know I’m fluctuating a lot on the scale lately, but I’m thinking a lot of that is due to an incredibly stepped-up workout schedule.  And if not, oh well! It all evens out and I’m on-plan and moving towards goal. 

Life in General: Life in general is good.  I’m nervous about Halloween all around – my 5K, and I’m wearing a costume later that night that’s a tad revealing.  In fact, it’s incredibly revealing… short skirt, strapless top, hooker-type boots.  Majorly nervous! But I’m determined not to hide under miles of cloth like I normally would.  Plus, after all this, I feel a little bit like Wonder Woman, so why not dress up like her?  I can always pretend I’m actually hidden inside an Invisible Plane… or just do a couple of shots of tequila before I head out.

Readers: I just want to say thank you to everyone who reads this blog.  It means a lot to me that so many of you are with me on this journey! Major blog<3.

Big thank you to Lindsey who reminded me to update – where has my higher brain function gone? Sheesh.

Week 41 Results:
Starting stats:
Weight: 247 lbs.
BMI: 36.5

Today’s stats:
Weight: 179.4 lbs.
BMI: 26.5

Week 42 Results:
Starting stats:
Weight: 247 lbs.
BMI: 36.5

Today’s stats:
Weight: 178.0 lbs.
BMI: 26.3

And the good times just keep rolling on… I lost another 3 lbs. this week!

Starting stats:
Weight: 247 lbs.
BMI: 36.5

Today’s stats:
Weight: 178.8 lbs.
BMI: 26.4

I can hardly believe that this is my 40th weigh-in on Weight Watchers.  I’ve officially lost ten BMI points – and only 1.4 BMI points to go until I’m not considered “overweight” anymore!  New progress picture coming soon.

And I’m back!   This week I pulled in an uncharacteristically big loss, 4.4 pounds.  I’ve now lost a total of 65.2 lbs. and I’m going full-steam ahead on my way to Goal!

Starting stats:
Weight: 247 lbs.
BMI: 36.5

Today’s stats:
Weight: 181.8 lbs.
BMI: 26.8

Shame, shame, shame on me.  I have been avoiding this blog. 

Here’s why:

Week 37
Starting stats:
Weight: 247 lbs.
BMI: 36.5

Today’s stats:
Weight: 183.8 lbs.
BMI: 27.1

Wait for it…

Week 38
Starting stats:
Weight: 247 lbs.
BMI: 36.5

Today’s stats:
Weight: 186.2 lbs.
BMI: 27.5

Yup, that’s right.  I am back up to 186.2. 

Am I depressed? No.  Am I going to burst into tears and throw in the towel? HELLZ NO!  When I started this journey, I made myself a promise to keep going, no matter what.  And I will.

What happened last week, you ask?  It was another case of “poor me” eating.  I was feeling super sorry for myself for having to get some stitches, followed by a mis-step and a very mildly sprained ankle.  ‘Cause for the world’s tiniest, saddest violin, right?  I did manage to talk myself out of eating an entire pack of Reese’s peanut butter pumpkins (after a ten minute internal conversation), which I count as my VOTA (victory of the week). 

So, I’m hoping that anyone following my journey isn’t disappointed in me – I hope I’m not letting anyone down.  I just want to put out there that I’m not perfect at this.  I don’t have all the answers, all the strategies, all the success.  But I will be successful in the end, because I promise to struggle on until I hit goal.

Woohoo! I lost 1.2 pounds this week, and have officially lost 25 percent of myself (and even a little extra!).  This was just the boost I needed to amp up my motivation and commitment – it’s cliche, but I just feel like there’s no stopping me now. 

Starting stats:
Weight: 247 lbs.
BMI: 36.5

Today’s stats:
Weight: 184.8 lbs.
BMI: 27.3

For a huge section of my life, I refused to eat even a crumb of food in the presence of strangers.  Or even my friends, at times.

Why?  I felt that as an overweight person, everyone around me must be playing Judge Judy and labeling me an incorrigible glutton with every bite.  I went so far as to hide out in a corner of my high school’s library every lunch hour rather than face a jury of my peers in the cafeteria.

This did not secure my place in the Popular Kids High School Hall of Fame, believe you me. 

As much as going to college changed my life, fear of public eating is one thing that remained unchanged during those 4.5 years of my life.  Even now, I don’t understand it.  As a plus-size person, I could join the cheerleading squad, put on a short skirt and jump in around in all my cellulitic glory in front of crowds of hundreds of people, but I couldn’t eat a french fry in front of them?  It makes about as much sense as Lady Gaga’s wardrobe, I know.

My fear of judgement would increase ten-fold if guys my own age were there – I could only imagine their thoughts. “Whoa, dude, did you see that fat chick?  She was motorboating that basket of chicken strips like there was no tomorrow!  No way I’d ever date a chubster like that.”

I’d even get paranoid in traffic.  If I ordered an ice cream cone from McDonalds and proceeded to eat it in my car, I’d hold the cone below window-level, even if it dripped all over my legs and car upholstery. 

Now, I’d say I’ve done a complete 180.  I devour ice cream cones, cheeseburgers, and fruit cups alike in the company of complete and total strangers.  Who cares what they think?  I’m also fairly vocal about being hungry – “I can’t go that long without eating! We have to make a stop.”  Living a healthier lifestyle has given me the confidence to just be me and stop worrying about what other people might be thinking. 

Unless you see me and I’ve got ice cream all over my face/shirt/hair.  Then feel free to comment.

Woohoo!  The weight I gained last week came off and took some of its fat cell friends with it.  Total lost this week: 2.8 pounds!

Starting stats:
Weight: 247 lbs.
BMI: 36.5

Today’s stats:
Weight: 186 lbs.
BMI: 27.5